Automatic air and steam connection.



H. L. MLNBR. AUTOMATIC AIR AND STEAM'GONNEGTION.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5, 1909.

95 1 1 96 Patented Mar.' 8, 1910.

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H. L. MINER.

AUTOMATIC AIR AND STEAM CONNECTION.

APPLICATION FILED JUNB, 1909.

95 1, 196, Patanted Mar. 8, 1910.

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ANDREW a GRAHAM C0N Pumunoannmrs, wAsmNGm-M. n. c

UNIT 1 Q fili STATS TEN AUTOMATIC AIR .AND STEAM CONNECTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

Application filed .Tune 5, 1909. Serial No. 500,389.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, I-IERKIMER L. MINER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Air and Steam Connections, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in. automatic air and steam connections used for coupling the air and steam pipes on railroad cars.

The objectof my invention is to provide connecting plates that will automatically contact and connect air and steam pipes of railroad cars under all ordinary conditions and retain the connection as long as the cars are in contact.

A further object of my invention is to provide a connecting device which, after coupling, will lock automatically.

A further object of the invention is to provide a connection which may be adapted for application to all railroad cars and cooperate with the standard automatic car couplers without interfering with the present construction.

A further and specific object of the invention is to provide a coupling suspended beneath the draw-bar or automatic coupler, the said coupler being complete in itself; of sufficient strength and eifectiveness; which will automatically connect the air and steam connections, and automatically lock and release the same as the cars are coupled and uncoupled, without delay.

In the drawings-Figure I is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line A-A of Fig. II. Fig. II is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line B-B of Fig. I. Fig. III is a cross-sectional view taken on the line C-C of Fig. I. Fig. IV is a view of the contacting plate viewed from the rear. Fig. V is a front view of the connecting plate. Fig. VI is a sectional view taken on the line D-D of Fig. IV with another contacting plate shown and both plates in locked position. Figs. VII and VIII are enlarged detail views of the locking bar made use of in carrying out my invention. Fig. IX is a detail sectional view of the guideblock made use of in connection with my invention. Fig. X is a detail side elevation of one of the thrust-bars.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 indicates a portion of an automatic car coupler l or draw-bar and secured to the under sidethereof is a draw-bar bracket 2 in which is supported the stud 3 provided with a round nut, its under surface slotted, through which a pin may be inserted for preventing the nut from turning when said nutis placed in position. Around the stud and supported thereon by the round nut 3 is a circular hanger bracket l which is provided with a pair of downwardly projecting trunnion-hangers 5 in which is hingedly supported the spring-case 6 which is provided with a pair of trunnions 7 supported in openings formed in the trunnion-hangers 5. The spring-case 6 is rectangular in crosssection and is provided on its inner surface with a pair of guides 8 and two retaining pins 9 extending the entire width of the casing and with said pins 9 contacts a guide block 10 which is located in the casing, the two sides of said block provided with grooves corresponding with the guides 8, and on said guides the block 10 is permitted to operate.

The rear end of the case 6 is closed, but provided with a central opening and in said casing, contacting with the rear end and the inner end of the guide block 10, is a large coil spring 11, the one end of said spring resting in circular grooves formed in the surface of the block within said case and within the coil spring 11 is a second and smaller coil spring 12, its one end contacting with the end of the case and located immediately around the spindle bolt 13 which passes longitudinally through the center of the case, through the opening in the end, and on said bolt is located nuts by which the same is held in position.

The block 10l is provided with a central hexagonal opening in which is located a hexagonal sleeve 14, the upper end provided with a square head and in said head is formed two guide pockets 15 with grooves 16, in which operate locking bars.

The guide block 10 is provided with a pair of pockets in which is located and permitted to operate one end of the thrust-bars 17, said end and pocket acting as a ball and socket joint; the other end pivotally connected to the locking bars 18, the construction of said locking bars being shown in Figs. VII and VIII. The locking bars 18 are provided with shoulders 19 and connected to the thrust-bars by pins. The purpose of this is to prevent the locking bars from leaving the grooves 16, at the same time acting as a. support during the manipulation of the thrust-bars and locking bars.

On the front surface of the square head formed on the hexagonal sleeve is rigidly mounted the connecting tace plate 2() provided with three guides 2l, two on one side and one on the other, also tour port connections; the ports Q2 and 28 acting as air ports and to which are connected the air pipes; the remaining two ports, indicated by the numeral 2t, one on each side, acting as steam ports, and to which are connected the steam pipes, all being provided with hose connections, which aie not shown in the illustrations.

l provide the tace plate with two lugs 25, one at the top and one at the bottom, in each ot which is a hole to receive the outer ends of the locking bars 18 when the same are thrust outwardly by Contact, and the said plate is supported to the drawbar by a supporting spring so as to prevent the same trom coming out et' horizontal alinement.

lllhe operation of my invention is as tollows: llhe hanger bracket 4t supported to the drawbar bracket 2 is so arranged as to be permitted to rotate partially around the stud and in the projecting trminion-hangers 5 is permitted to tiltingly operate the case 6 when the contacting plates ot two cars contact, each being guided in their proper position by the guides 2l, permitting the air and steam ports to properly unite. rnd at this juncture, pressure is placed upon the hexagon sleeve lll, which has a tendency to impart pressure upon the coil spring l2 located around the spindlebolt 13. The pressure of this spring is of sutiicient tension to retain the contacting plates in position during the variation or irregular movement et the moving train; and while both couplers are connected and during the movement ot the train, any eXtra pressure which might be brought against the coupling will operate upon said spring. lVhen said plates are brought in contact this rearward pressure upon the spring has a tendency to cause the ends ot the locking bars 1S to pass outwardly through the elongated slots 1G and outwardly into the openings termed in the projecting lugs 25 on the opposite connecting plate. Since the ends ot the thrustbars are held in the block l0 and connected to the pivotal end of the locking bars, the rearward movement of the block is not disturbed by the contact ot each plate until the locking bars are in locked position, then when extraordinary pressure is brought upon the coupling, such movement is permitted to operate against the outer spring 11 in the casing, which permits resiliency to the block, yet holds the thrust-bars in rigid position.

The air and steam connecting tace plate on each car is identical so as to perform an absolute leali-proofconnection when in contact.

ln Fig. Vl, l show a leverage etlect on the action ot the spring 1l under pressure on the locking bars which 'lulcrum trom the lug L termed on the back et' the connecting plate 2O and a suiticient portion et said material in the plate 2f() is cut out at the point shown by J to allow a. :further motion ot the locking bars 1S under action ot the coil spring 1l transmitted through the thrustbars 17, and the (lirection ot the groove 16 being curved toward the connecting plate at the point indicated by the letter J reduces 'the resistance and tends to increase the wedging power oit the short arm lever end of the locking bar 1S, through the opening formed in the lug Q5, bringingl the connecting plates tightly together with each oscillation of the car and taking up any slack that might exist.

Having t'ully described my invention, what l claim as new and des-.irc to have secured to me by the grant ot Letters latent, is:

l. An automatic air and steam connection comprising a tace plate in which are located air and steam ports; a reciproeating` sleeve; a casing; ay hanger in which the easing is tiltingly mounted; a locking mechanism carried by the case and the sleeve; and a spring mechanism communicating with the sleeve and locking mechanism whereby the iace plates and two couplers are held in rigid connection, substantially as specilied.

2. A. device ot the class described comprising a hanger supported with a drawbar oi a car; a casing tiltingly mounted in the hanger; a spindle bolt extending through the Icase and permitted to reciprocate therein; a sleeve mounted upon the spindle bolt; a guide block supported in the casing and around the sleeve; a tace plate supported on the sleeve; a pair ot thrust-bars connect'- ed to the guide block and supported to the sleeve; a pair of locking bars connected to the thrust-bars and operating in grooves formed in the sleeves; and lugs provided with openings formed on the tace plates through which the ends ot the locking bars are adapted to pass when said plates are brought in contact, and springs for retaining the sleeve and locking bars in contact when the couplers of adjacent cars are in contact, substantially as specified.

3. A device ot' the class described comarising a coupling composed oi' a tace plate provided with a plurality ot air and steam ports; a spindle bolt secured to said connecting plate; a sleeve located around said spindle bolt and connected to the connecting plate; a hanger-bracket; a casing tiltingly mounted in said hanger-bracket; a guide block slidably mounted in the casing, said block provided with a central hexagon opening through Which operates the sleeve; a spring located in said casing, one end contacting with the end of the casing, the other With the sleeve; a second spring located in said casing; its one end contacting with the end of the casing, the other with the guide block; and a plurality of locking bars carried by the block and sleeve by Which the contacting plate of the adjacent car is held in locked position with the adjacent plate when said plates are brought in contact7 substantially as specified.

et. A device of the class described comprising a hanger-bracket; a spring-case tiltingly mounted in said bracket; a guide block slidably mounted in said case; a sleeve operating in said guide block; a connecting plate provided with a plurality of air and steam ports secured to the end of the sleeve; a spindle bolt passing centrally through the sleeve and case; a spring located around the bolt contacting with the end of the case and sleeve; a spring located in the case contacting with the case and block; a plurality of thrust-bars movably mounted in the block; locking bars connected to the thrustbars and operating through slots formed in the sleeve; and lugs formed on the connecting plates With Which the locking bars con-- tact for locking the adjacent plate When the couplers are brought in contact, substantially as described.

5. A device of the class described comprising a hanger-bracket in combination With a dravvbar; a case tiltingly mounted in the hanger-bracket; a guide block slidably mounted in the case and supported on guides; a sleeve having a portion hexagonal in form and operating through a hexagonal opening in the guide block; a connecting plate rigidly mounted on the end of the sleeve; a plurality of guides formed on the contacting plate for guiding the plate on the adjacent car so as to properly unite the air and steam ports formed in each plate; a pair of thrust-bars supported to the guide block and movably mounted therein; a pair of locking bars connected to the opposite ends of the thrust-bars and operating through grooves formed in the sleeve; lugs formed on the plates, each provided With openings through which the ends of the locking bars are passed for retaining the connecting plates in locked position when brought in contact, and a plurality of springs located in the case contacting with the sleeve and guide block for regulating the movement of the sleeve and block during the variation of movement of the cars While in action, substantially as specied.

In testimony whereof; I have signed my name to this specification7 in presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

HERKIMER L. MINER.

Vitnesses:

ALFRED A. EIoKs, WALTER C. STEIN. 

